Politics

Obama’s National Security/Foreign Policy Team Shaping Up

According to current reports, this could be Barack Obamaâ€™s national security/foreign affairs team:

Secretary of State: Hillary Clinton

Secretary of Defense: Robert Gates

Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security: Janet Napolitano

National Security Advisor: Gen. Jim Jones, a retired 4-star Marine Corps general who actually supported John McCain but is considered pragmatic and very well-qualified.

Director of National Intelligence: Retired Adm. Dennis Blair whoâ€™s worked with the CIA and is well versed in clandestine military operations.

And let us not forget Joe Biden will also be hanging around.

Needless to say, this line-up is not pleasing various members of the left. But it should please anyone who wants to get away from ideological foreign policy and focus on reality-based, sensible pursuits of our interests and security. While Iâ€™m unconvinced that Clinton is the best choice for State, Obamaâ€™s potential team leaves me with few complaints at this juncture.

If there is a significant concern, itâ€™s whether everyone will be able to work together without letting egos get in the way. But a certain level of discord is acceptable. Even welcome. Iâ€™d much rather be led by men and women who are willing to argue for their ideas than men and women who are comfortable existing in the kind of groupthink atmosphere the Bush administration seemed to promote.